Glue dispenser



Jan. 6, 1942.

. H. W7 KAGLEY GLUE DISPENSER Filed Aug'. 29, 1939 Y-Raser WD5 GL Ey,

Ja. 6, 1942. H. w. KAGLEY GLUE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 29, 1959 y 2 Sheets-Skaai. 2

Y NQ A W wmv Patented Jan. 6, 11942 UNITED STATES,h PATENT OFFICE A l azeasis n GLUE DIsENsR Herbert Kagley, Lindsay, Calif., assignor to Lindsay Ripe Olive yCompany, Lindsay, Calif.,

a corporation Almlieatmn August 29, 1939, serai No. 292,453 12 Claims. `(Cl. 91-47) I This invention relates to the packaging art and "C is a glue dispenser which has particular'utility inwconnection with box sealing'machines and machines for applying labels or folders to cans.

This application is a continuation in part of, my Acopending application, Serial No. 244,233,"

filed December 6, 1938, for Machine for applying folders to cans. In lthat application, I disclose a machine in which cans are automatically conveyed beneath a glue applicator where glue isfxlio in the region where the glue has been appliedu The glue dispenser in that application comprised a rotatingrwheel having circumferentially spaced faces adapted to be brought successively into tangential contact withv a roller upon which glue is carried. Each of these' faces in turn makes,y

contact with the top of a can passingr beneath onl a conveyor, and the stickiness vof the glue causes some of it to adhere to the' can.

The particular application of my present invention is the substitution of a new and improved rotary pressure glue dispenser for the simple wheel type previously shown. Y

It is an object of my invention to provide a glue dispenser suitable for use with a machine in ,which cans or other packaging elements are conveyed and to which cans or packaging elements the application of glue is necessary.

It isa further object of rmy invention to provide a glue dispenser of such a type in which the amount of glue deposited upon each can or packaging element is positively controlled.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a glue dispenser of this type in which a relatively heavy, viscous glue of a` gelatine-like kconsistency can be applied with facility at high speed and .without smearing or leakage.

Itj is a further object' of myinvention to provide a' glue dispenser of such type designed and arranged to function for discharging glue. only when a can orrpackaging element is present in position to receive the glue. t

It is a further object of my invention to provide a glue dispenser of such typewhich will discharge. glue only upon the cooperation Aoiga can orI other packaging element coming in contact with a nozzle of the glue dispenser.

AIt is a further object of my invention to provide a glue dispenser ofvsuch type in which a plurality of glue dispensing nozzlesare 'disposed oriv a: rotary elementv/hich is driven in timed ersv relation to a conveyor for cans o r other packaging elements by which therglue, nozzles c ome into successive contact with the cans or packaging elements passing on the conveyor adjacent thereto for the purpose ofV causing the ldeposit of a predetermined amount of glue on the top of each can or packaging element during a continuous movement of the canconveyor. e

It is another object to provide a machine of the Vcharacter described which will deposit a small peak ci` gluerather than a light liquid smear, the latter not being Wholly satisfactory when used to glue a folder to a concave surface such as the end of a small fruit can. v

Another objectr is to provide a machine of the character described which presses the glue against the can to assure good contact with same. This is important because gelatine-like glue does ynotadhere readily tothe enamelled surface of a' can.

1 v`Other objects are to providea machine ofthe character V described havingy relatively small nozale units which will operate! at verynhigh speed without sacrificing any of the yother advantages and objects described, and in which the nozzle, after` the glue is deposited, raises abruptly upward relative to the canl in a manner to break the glue string which in turn falls downward into the deposited peak of glue.

`lte'fe'rringtoV the'drawings:

igure 1 isa sideelevation yof a machine for applying folders tocans vincorporating my glue dispenser.- v I -lligurey 2' is an? enlarged cross section of the glue*dispenser taken on the line' 2 2 of Figure 1. A.Figure/3 is a magniiied View. of the end of one of the nozzles in my -glu'e Ldispenser showing the grooved endl face which facilitates the spreading of th'etg'lue. y

Having -in mindlthat Iinclude the machine for applying .folders to cans inV this disclosure for the .sakeof convenience in order to fullyillustrate one forni' and use of my invention, and lnot for the purpose of limitation', I Show sucha machine generally' designated I0. This machine includes a frame; Il havinggapair of channel beams I2 upon which rest avcan track I3,r having a chain 'groveliin which an'en'dless conveyor chain I5 ffa canconve'ylorA I6travels. Th'e chain I5 is vtrair'i'e'd about sprockets p Il, only one of which is shown, this sprocketbeing mounted on a shaft I8N by which the conveyor I6 is continuously l driven. Certain uniformly spaced links I9 of the chain LIii carry can pusher's 2li/which extend up- 6 5 waidlywhenthes'e' links are disposed in the chain groove I4. Extending laterally from the track I3 are ears 22 upon which angle iron can guards 23 and 24 may be set closer together or farther apart to accommodate cans differing in diameter.

Rigidly mounted at their lower ends on the frame II so as to extend vertically upward at the rear of the conveyor I6 is a pair of standards 29. These standards are threaded and have nuts which support an elevated frame which can be raised or lowered by rotating the nuts 38, and nuts 3| to retain the frame.

At one end of this elevated frame 35 is supported a folder magazine 36 and a vacuum wheel 31. The vacuum wheel 31 is carried on a shaft 38 which is suitably journaled in a bearing, not shown, in the elevated frame 35.

At the other end of the frame is mounted a rotary glue dispenser 40 by means of a shaft 4I journaled in a bearing 42 in the elevated frame 35.

Shafts 38 and 4I are provided with sprockets, not shown, over which is trained a driving chain 43 so that the rotation of shaft 38 imparts similar rotation to shaft 4I. Shaft 38 derives its rotation by means of a chain 45 engaging sprockets on shafts 38 and I8, indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1. Idler sprockets 46 and 41 guide the chain 45. It will thus be seen that power means applied to the shaft I8 will cause simultaneous travel of the can conveyor chain I5, rotation of the vacuum wheel 31 and the rotary glue dispenser 40. The spacing of the can pushers 20 on the chain I5 is such that the spacing of the vertical centers of cans 50 traveling on the conveyor equals the circumferential spacing of vacuum lugs 5I on the wheel 31 and glue nozzles 52 on the glue dispenser 40.

Details of the folder magazine 36 and vacuum wheel are not essential to my present invention.

It is suiiicient to say that any suitable means for withdrawing a folder 53 from the stack of folders 54 and depositing this folder upon thetop of a can 50 is suiiicient.

My novel rotary glue dispenser 40 comprises a A hub which is secured to shaft 4I by means of' a set screw 6I. This hub is formed with four cylindrical openings or chambers 62 threaded at their mouths and reduced at their inner ends as shown in Figure 2. The glue nozzles 52 are secured in these openings and extend radially ,Y

therefrom. All of these nozzles are similar and only one will be described in detail.

A nipple 64 is the part threaded directly into the chamber 62. A hollow piston 65 is slidably mounted in the nipple 64. A piston pressure pin 66 engages the bore 61 of the piston 65 and serves to forcibly eject glue contained in the bore 61 upon compression of the piston 65 upwardly against spring 68 which seats at one end'on the upper end of the piston 65 and at its other end on head 69 of the piston pin 66. This head 69 of the piston pin is seated in the reduced portion of the chamber 62.

The piston 65 is formed with holes 10 near its communicates between the chamber 62 and the interior of a cylindrical glue reservoir 15 to be subsequently described.

Packing 16 and a packing retaining ring 11 are secured in the lower portion of the nipple to tion as to prevent outward movement of the piston 65 under pressure of the spring 68 beyond a predetermined desired point, as shown in the upper part of Figure 2.

At the outer end of the piston 65 is threaded a nozzle tip which has a spring actuated ball check valve 8I normally closing the counterbored end of the piston bore 61. The tip 80 has a reduced passage 82 which opens upon end face 63, formed with grooves 84 for the purpose of relieving the otherwise flat end face and enabling the glue passing through port 82 to be readily dispersed upon the top of a can or other packaging element.

make a tight seal with the piston 65. 'A piston g stop ring 18 is secured to the piston in such posi- The cylindrical glue reservoir 15 is attached by welding or any suitable means to the hub 60. An end cap 85 is screwed onto the outer end of the reservoir. This cap has a relatively long extension 86 of reduced diameter which acts as a housing and stop for a -compression spring 81 utilized for maintaining pressure on the body of glue in the cylinder 15. Within the cylinder a packing cup 90 faced with a metal disc 9I and a metal backing 92 is mounted upon a bolt 93, which extends through the housing 86.

The spring 81 bears at one end against the disc 92 and at the other against the end of the housing 86. The bolt 93 carries a nut 94 at the outer end adjustable on the bolt to limit inward movement of the bolt and to also indicate to an operator the quantity of glue remaining in the reservoir 15.

I prefer to have four of the glue nozzles 52 radially disposed on the hub 60, although more or less of such nozzles may be employed, depending upon the spacing of the can pushers 20 and the timing of the Various elements in the machine.

In the use of my invention the cap 85 is removed from the reservoir 15 and the, reservoir is packed with glue. It is possible with this device to use a heavy, viscous type of glue of a gelatine-like consistency, and the glues of this type can be obtained which are more satisfactory than the more conventional relatively light liquid form of glue. Glue is packed into the reservoir tightly so as to exclude all air. The packing cup 90 is inserted and with it the cap 85 is screwed onto the end of the cylindrical reservoir. Action of the compression spring 81 forces the packing gasket against the glue and delivers it under pressure through the passages 1I into the chambers 62, through the ports or holes 10 and into the bores 61 of the -pistons 65. Glue can enter the bores 61 only when the pistons are extended, in which position the vpiston pressure pins 66 are clear of the holes 10. The ball check valves 8| normally close the outer ends of the bores 61 and prevent escape of glue, so that no glue is deposited or delivered by gravity or in the absence of a can or packaging element cooperating with the glue nozzle as next described.

The machine is started, which results in the can conveyor, the folder delivery mechanism, and the rotary glue dispenser, all moving in synchronized relation.

Filled cans', as for instance olive cans, upon which the lids have been secured, are delivered from any suitable source to the can conveyor I6 and are continuously passed in regular intervals underneath the rotary glue dispenser. Adjust- Yment ofthe frame 35 on the standards 29 must be at such height'that the rotating glue nozzles will not clear the tops of the cans but will be or otherpressure means instead of the spring forced into physicalcontact with these can tops and the rpistons be compressed thereby as the glue dispenser rotates". f 1

Compressionor upward movement of one of 'the pistons 65 caused by contact with the top of the port 82V and distributed through the grooves S'upon the top of the can. The glue is thus pr'essurally deposited upon the can and `caused to adhere the'reto`inthe form of al small peak,

the glueA string being cleanly broken by the abrupt, sharply angular movement of the nozzle away from the can after the deposit of glue.

After the pressure between nozzle and can has been relieved, due to the can passing beyond the nozzle and the nozzle continuing its rotation in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 1,

the spring 88 moves the piston 65 to its extended position, and glue flows under pressure through the holes to rell the bore 61. This function is assisted by suction of the piston pressure pin 66. The lower portion of the piston bore always contains glue, and the check Valve 8| prevents air from being sucked in by the return action of the pressure pin.

After a suitable interval the cans to which the glue has been applied are brought under the vacuum wheel by which folders are applied to the cans on the tops where the glue has been deposited.

It is obvious that the amount of glue deposited is controlled by the size ofthe bore and stroke of the piston 55. These units may be readily replaced if it is desired to deposit greater or smaller quantities'of glue, by unscrewing nipples 64 and installing pistons and piston pressure pins of diierent diameters. By the use of my invention the deposit of glue on can tops is no longer hit or miss but is adequately controlled, and a type of glue may be employed which is considerably superior to the free gravity owing glue employed with previously conventional types of glue applicators.

The operation of my rotary glue dispensing device is entirely automatic. The presence of a can causes it to function and deposit the glue, and in the absence of a can there is no waste or undesirable leakage of glue.

My machine will operate at very high speed, depositing gelatine-like glue in peaks, with pressure to cause the glue to adhere, and breaking the glue string cleanly.

Instead of utilizing a pressure element in the glue reservoir, it would be an equivalent and within the scope of my invention to employ a separate, and larger glue container, equipped to l supply glue under the necessary pressure, `and conduct the glue under pressure through a conduit from the container rto a chamber such as the reservoir shown, or a reservoir built into the hub. A suitable glue tight rotary connection of the conduit with the reservoir would be contemplated. In that case, the proportions and detailed design of the reservoir could be changed, as it would not be necessary to maintain as large a supply of glue in the reservoir on (or in) the hub as is illustrated.

It is also an equivalent to employ air pressure and plungerV illustrated,- for'forcing the glue into the nozzles 52. l

y Cans or packaging elements of different sizes may be acted on by my rotary glue dispenser ymere'zlyby" raising or lowering the frame 35 on -thel's'tanda-rds 29.

My glue dispenser may also be employed in other forms of apparatus such as boxl" sealing machines, soap wrapping machines, 'and many otherswhich will occur to one skilled in-'the art. In the application of my invention to these other forms of `apparatus it is 'merely necessary to provide a suitable relation- -ship between the spring action of the nozzle 52 and the resistance of the article upon which the 'glue' is to be applied. In that connection the viscosity of the glue must be taken into consideration, for in applying glue by means of my dispenser to packaging elements which are relatively `soft or have relatively slight resistance the tension oi spring 68 must be considerably lessened and the force necessary to eject the glue throughthe bore 61 and the port 82 must also be considerably lessened. It may be necessary in some instances to use a considerably thinner type of glue than is desirable for applying' glue to fruit cans.

It will also be obvious to anyone skilled in the art'that the particular meansillustrated and described for rotating my rotar-5'7` glue dispenser may be replaced by any other suitable rotating means, or other forms may be employed where the same result is accomplished by substantially the same means in substantially the same way. Thus I would consider it an equivalent of my invention to use a single glue nozzle and mount the glue dispenser stationary, bringing the cans successively into physical contact with the glue nozzle, as by means of a cam or lifting jack; or to use a single nozzle, lowering it into physical contact with successive cans to compress the nozzle, by means of a cam or other reciprocating mechanism.

What I claim is:

l. A rotary lglue dispenser comprising a hub carrying a glue reservoir, means to maintain Aa pressure on glue contained in the hub, means to rotate the reservoir, glue nozzles projecting from the hub and arranged to be supplied with glue from the reservoir and to deposit glue on packaging elements by compression on said packaging elements.

2. A glue dispenser comprising: a rotatable hub carrying a glue reservoir anda nozzle communicating with the reservoir, the nozzle including a hollow piston for the temporary storage and passage of glue, and a piston pressure pin seated in the hub, the piston being slidable thereon to forcibly eject glue from the piston by compression of the piston upon the piston pressure pin.

3. A device as described in claim 2 in which the nozzle is provided with a tip having an end face relieved by grooves to spread glue over a flat surface contacted by the tip.

4. A glue dispenser comprising: a rotatable hub carrying a plurality of radially spaced nozzles, means to supply glue to said nozzles, and means actuated by axially directed pressure on said nozzles to forcibly eject a predetermined amount of glue therefrom. I

g5'. A glue dispenser comprising: a rotatable hub carrying a plurality of radially spaced nozzles, means to supply glue to said nozzles, means actuated by axially directed pressure on said nozzles to forcibly eject a predetermined amount of glue therefrom, and means to refill the nozzles after ejection of glue therefrom upon discontinuance of the radial pressure thereon.

6. A glue dispenser comprising a rotatable hub, a glue reservoir on the hub, radially disposed glue nozzles on the hub, passages between the reservoir and the nozzles for glue to be supplied to the nozzles, pressure means in the reservoir to force glue from thereservoir into the nozzles, and independent pressure means in each nozzle to force glue outwardly from the nozzles.

7. A glue dispenser comprising a rotatable hub, a glue reservoir on the hub, radially disposed glue nozzles on the hub, passages between the reservoir and the nozzles for glue to be supplied to the nozzles, pressure means in the reservoir to force glue from the reservoir into the nozzles. each nozzle comprising a fixed piston pressure pin and a hollow piston slidable thereon whereby glue in the bore of the piston is forced outwardly by the piston pressure pin when the 'piston is telescoped on said pin.

8. A device as described in claim 7 in which there is a spring to normally maintain the piston in extended position.

9. A device as described in claim 7 in which each nozzle has a at end face relieved by grooves to facilitate spreading of glue forced from the nozzle.

10. A device as described in claim 7 in which there is a check valve at the outer end of the nozzle to prevent leakage of glue and entrance of air into the nozzle.

1l` A glue dispenser comprising: a nozzle, a supporting device upon which said nozzle is mounted, a glue reservoir, a passage between the reservoir and the nozzle for glue to be supplied to the nozzle, pressure means to force glue from the reservoir into the nozzle, and means actuated by axially directed pressure on said nozzle to forcibly eject a predetermined amount of glue therefrom.

12. The combination of: a conveyer for transporting packaging elements at spaced intervals, a glue dispenser comprising a nozzle mounted in proximity tothe conveyor, a glue reservoir, a

passage between the reservoir and the nozzle for glue to be supplied to the nozzle, pressure means to force glue from the reservoir into the nozzle, means actuated by axially directed pressure on the end of said nozzle to forcibly eject a predetermined amount of glue therefrom, said conveyor being adapted to pressurally present said packaging elements to the end of said nozzle whereby glue is deposited on said packaging element.

HERBERT W. KAGLEY. 

